Elena Bari is pouring all of her efforts into the 30-acre South Staffordshire site and is already leaving an indelible impression, with her refined, mature palate adding substance to tasting processes and grape growing practices.
The 28-year-old, who is half Italian, grew up on a Romanian vineyard with her mum and dad and after falling in love with the profession she decided to travel to as many countries to soak up as much experience.
Elena, who has a double bachelor’s degree in viticulture and a host of other qualifications, has spent time in some of the richest wine environments including Italy (Udine), Argentina (Mendoza), New Zealand (Blenheim), the United States (Oregon), France (Bordeaux) and Australia (Adelaide). She also has gained experience at vineyards in Suffolk and Kent, before arriving at Bobbington.
She said: “My first impressions of the place have been great. I feel like part of the family and everyone has made me feel so welcome. It’s a close knit community and the size of Halfpenny Green is perfect for me. It brings me a lot of joy because I’m close to several colleagues here, who give me the licence to make an impression on the place. There are plenty of varieties of grapes which allows me to experiment and express myself.
“When you work in multiple wineries you become more open minded and you find solutions because you see things in a different way. For example, there were fires in Oregan that affected a harvest of grapes, which I studied closely and learned about. This affected the taste as the smoke got inside the skin of the grapes. My research took me to Chile and I collaborated with contacts there who helped in finding a solution.
“More specifically to Halfpenny Green, I’ll be well-prepared to deal with a hot, dry summer and I’ll also be able to assist if the conditions are cold and wet.
“I’ve been made to feel valued here. As for the taste, it is very distinct compared to other regions. The UK has a high acidity in the soil and my palate does pick up on this. I love the taste as it’s so distinctive and full of flavour.”
Clive Vickers, owner of Halfpenny Green Wine Estate, said: “Elena has made a big impression since arriving and it goes without saying that we’re absolutely delighted to have her on board.
“Her passion for winemaking and the breadth of her international experience have already made a positive impression and we’re all benefiting as a result. She’s brought fresh ideas, energy, and a real attention to detail and we’re excited about what we can achieve together moving forward.”
The Halfpenny Green Wine Estate, which first opened to the public in 1989, produces wines for 100 different UK vineyards in addition to its own, across 28 counties.
It scooped 32 regional awards from WineGB last September, cementing its position as one of the nation’s leading vineyards.
Its English Rosé and Penny Red won their respective categories for the Midlands and North in a main highlight, before the vineyard secured the prestigious Winemaker of the Year prize. Twenty-seven other awards also went to wines produced by the Halfpenny Green team for other vineyards across the region.
People can book vineyard tours and tasting opportunities online at https://www.halfpennygreen.co.uk/ or by calling 01384 221122.